The sports world has their own genre of films but their best kind is the sub-genre where they step away from the football field making it about the team and brotherhood. Films like Varsity Blues come to mind. When the Game Stands Tall is the best sports film since Coach Carter.

I should know. I was a member of a championship high school football team in Minnesota. Understanding the brotherhood of a football team at that young age will give a piece of whom you are capable of being who you want in the world. The message is that it doesn't matter whether you are a starter or a bench warmer. You will always be a part of it and respect the game.

One of my favorite books are H.G. Bissinger's Friday Night Lights, I love it because football is only the window draping for the real story and a sportswriter for the Contra Costa Times, Neil Hayes follows that path respectfully. Opening in 2003 where the Spartans of De La Salle, a northern California high school holds a 151-game winning streak and as they open the 2004 season things begin to fall apart among the team because of egotism and complacency on winning.

Spartans head coach Bob Ladoceur (Jim Caviezel, CBS' Person of Interest) from the start shows that football is not a game, but a sport that dignifies teamwork and brotherhood within. We see an inner demon getting the best of him that leads him to not coaching leaving defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Teddy Eldson (Michael Chiklis, FX's The Shield) and the team to fend for themselves. Then another tragedy within leads to the first loss and that is when the film's message becomes the main focus with a dash of faith.

As you can see the story grabbed me from the first downfall. Just like Coach Carter, it has the richness in the storytelling and corny but effective dialogue. Ironically, Thomas Carter directed that sports gem as well as this. He keeps the characters and story as the focus leading to expertly staged football choreography that alone will imagine you feel like you are in the metal bleachers watching the action. However, its about coming together as a team again off the field.

The lead performances are excellent and in tap with their real-life subject. Caviezel captures the low-key but inspiring persona of Ladoceur who is a Christian and it shows when he is teaching his students. As always, Chiklis shows off versatility with some light comic bits and serious drama but never overacts but the best performance goes to Alexander Ludwig (Lone Survivor) as running back Chris Ryan. Not letting his good looks get the best of him but humanizing Ryan with heart and sincerity with the game. The ending alone will prove it

However, unlike the films I spoke of. This film starts off sloppy with its introduction of their characters and personal storytelling. Especially with the whining sub tale of Ladoceur's son, Danny (Matthew Daddario) who doesn't really bring out the emotion but whines even though his father went through a scary situation. Complains about his father will not be able to coach him in his senior season. The supporting acting is either thinly sketched or mediocre. Feeling like more like a glorified TV movie but Carter heads back to the richly told melodramatic real-life story. Wanted more depth when you have the talent like Laura Dern and Clancy Brown.

Verdict: A-

When the Game Stands Tall has excellent inspiration and the right director at work to bring well choreographed football action but as well balance the lessons off the field alone taking down slight flaws and making this a must-see for all people that have played high school athletics and know what it's like being a member of the team. I did and today, carry that unforgettable year in my heart and this film will introduce those days back and some tissues.

The Expendables franchise has been that nostalgic action extravaganza that gives me a small piece of the 80's action films that I grew up with. Ranging from Commando to Cobra to The Transporter (even made in 2002, it was old-school). The only way I could give a good grade to Expendables III is if I get memorable characters, thin as a piece of yarn storyline and a violent over-the-top ending. Even when it's PG-13, it was a mindless blast.

A perfect scenario is my beautiful girlfriend treating me to my cinematic action gods battle it out for two hours on a 75 foot screen. Friday night, I got my wish.

As each film opens with a slam bang beginning and this was no exception. Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) and The Expendables are on a runaway train to rescue an old friend, Doc Death (Wesley Snipes) from a foreign dictator however, they do some nifty tricks with a helicopter and blow away about 20-30 anonymous henchmen. Right away, they have to make a regular drop in Somalia but then someone gets the drop on them and it turns out to be the co-creator of the Expendables, Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson). Leading to Barney ditching his team to find a 21st century version of his team. Yeah, we will get to that a little later.

Director Patrick Hughes follows Stallone and Simon West's technique of well choreographed action sequences mixing in cheesy CGI and man made action fit well enough together. When the bullets fall, body count increases and explosions become rampant. It's where the film hits its peak.

Stallone brings his tough guy exterior and ripped up bod with his charisma intact as usual, always good to see Jason Statham, Randy Couture and Dolph Lundgren still around to take down targets as they drop corny one-liners with ease like a lost script of Tango & Cash. Joining the team is Antonio Banderas' hysterical but ass-kicking Galgo who gets most of the laughs with his ability to stop a continuous thread of talking, replacing greedy Bruce Willis is a more capable Harrison Ford as CIA analyst Max Drummer (a little riff on Jack Ryan) who lands one-liners and also shows a sense of fun from Ford who later says, "It's the most fun I've had in a long time". Thankfully, the master of action brings his cigar-chewing charisma, Arnold Schwarzenegger uses some of his famous one-liners and sports his .50 CAL. The scene stealer though was Gibson. He plays Stonebanks as an over-the-top suave psychopath. Seriously, when you see the inevitable scene among Gibson and Stallone, he will have your eyes glued to the screen. It just shows truly good he is as an actor. I cannot name one film where he gave a bad performance not even Bird on a Wire, ugh bad memories,

Just like the films I named before, there are always flaws. It just depends on if its strengths outweighs its flaws.and it was when Barney goes recruiting. He meets Bonaparte (a gamed Kelsey Grammer) introducing us to Thorn (Glen Powell), a computer genius and a free climber. Yes, I said that right. Mars (Victor Ortiz), Luna (Ronda Rousey) who kicks a ton of ass but was probably the best "actor" out of this group and then came along the uncharismatic Kellan Lutz whose physique outweighs his acting daily. Trust me, I saw him as Hercules earlier this year. Lutz brings nothing to the table no matter how many stunts or effort at leadership, you do not buy it and thank goodness all four of them are captured which gets back to the formula of the first two films.

After Stonebanks plants his own revenge back on Ross...near the 90 minute mark where Hughes uses the kitchen sink philosophy and dumps every aspect of action, weaponry, stunts and fight sequence that you can think of. As I walked out of the theater, my mind was blown and I even forgave it for lack of blood and cursing. As I say farewell to my cinematic action gods, I leave with this. You will never, I mean never have this batch of action heroes again. The only one I can think of is Jason Bourne, excluding superheroes.

Verdict: B+

The Expendables III continues to show why guys like Stallone, Schwarzengger, Ford and Gibson knew how to fill the theater seats in the 80's and 90's with charisma and a sense of joy tapped in with well-choreographed and imaginative action sequences even with it being 20 minutes too long. This is indeed the right kind of farewell for action fans who grew up with Terminator, Indiana Jones, and Braveheart, Ignore the critics and see it for yourself.

Sometimes being old-fashioned is a good thing. Case in point with the revenge thriller, Cold in July that brutal heart keeps thumping away.

Based on the Joe R. Lansdale novel, it opens in the midnight hour in 1989 East Texas. Richard Dane (Michael C. Hall, Dexter) accidentally kills a lowly burglar. Dane runs a carpet store in the area and when the police identifies him as Freddy Russell, he is declared a local hero. It becomes a short celebration when ex-con Ben Russell (Sam Shepard) comes storming into town looking for vengeance on his son's death. However, Dane suspects something that the local police ran by Ray Price (Nick Damici) is hiding something when he witnesses that twist and changes the tapestry of the story. Russell backs off Dane and enter a FBI agent, Jim Bob Luke (played slyly by Don Johnson) which sends the story due south to Houston.

Director Jim Mickle does an excellent job shooting this like a 1970's revenge thriller. Films like Death Wish came to mind with its unapologetic and violent brutality. The twists and turns alone show the true crime, it warrants cold-blooded revenge on its criminals. Even Mickle keeps the dark humor from distracting from its story that speeds things in the final bloody minutes. There is no slick cinematography but stripped down grit from the time Jim Bob enters. Handling the action choreography with substance over style and precise in humanizing the character by emphasizing the word, "fear" in their reactions.

Uniformly excellent performances across the board with Hall embodying a man that has never taken someone else's life and shows that not everyone reacts like a hero, but shaken to a point that anything could make him snap like a twig. At the same time what happens when fear is thrown out the window. Shepard should get some nods for his complex performance. Showing what a father-son relationship, the meaning of it could be turned into a double-edged sword if it merits the angry reaction of a conflicted father. Johnson always knows how to deliver on characters like Jim Bob. He is a simple man that believes in old school strategy when it comes to bending the rules of justice and dangerous with a double barrel shotgun in hand. Vinessa Shaw has never got the critical respect as an actor. I am going to be the one to tell you she was terrific as Dane's wife, Ann emphasizing the meaning of "standing by your man" but as well when Richard is having issues, knows to be a mother and a wife second at a point. To feeling the pain of this woman, something that reminded me of Maria Bello in A History of Violence.

Verdict: A+

Cold in July doesn't waver to modern filmmaking by knowing how to adopt book to film storytelling and making it as intense on screen with its excellent performances, brutal action sequences and delivering on its vengeance in cold-blooded fashion. At the end of this film, I was applauding it and that alone is rare. This is one of the best of the year. Seek it out, you will not be disappointed.

Let's face it, the Transformers franchise is nothing more than empty calorie blockbusters that lets your brain take a nap while your eyes embrace the visuals and jaw-dropping action. Age of Extinction is not only relentless in it's running time but it finds a way to forgive its faults.

As a critic, this should be torn up for it's awful acting, bloated 165-minute running time, and a storyline as thin as a string of yarn.

However, if you're a fan of Transformers. It's a refreshing to see them escape from the humans and focus more on the cornball but effective simplicity of the Autobots and Decepticons.

Mark Wahlberg is Cade Yeager, an amateur inventor from West Texas that's having eviction issues unless he brings in some cash. At the same time he has to deal with rebellious daughter (Nicola Peltz) dating an race-car driver. Thank goodness (sarcasm)! Because he's important because he drives.

As my eyes began to roll, Cade finds a broken down semi and all I could think was it's Optimus Prime! Meanwhile, Harold Attinger an alien eliminating politician (Kelsey Grammer) is using his own force to destroy all remaining Autobots. While a genius billionaire (Stanley Tucci, huh?) is using parts to create bigger and better versions with a new but outlandish formula. After his cronies try to get Cade to spill info by brute force, out comes OPTIMUS PRIME to wreck them. Thank you, because when the story sticks with them which speeds up the film.

Director Michael Bay (hush, basement dwellers) stamps his passport of destruction to good usage by turning cities into economy-stricken rubble like Houston, Chicago (again), Shanghai and top it off with Hong Kong. Bay is the master of destructive action choreography. Following the kitchen sink philosophy by destroying buildings, blowing up ships, and sacrificing us humans to give you the best action sequences of the franchise. Topped off with eye-popping CGI that alone will have you cheering in your seats, if that's your thing.

Even as a fan of the franchise, admit you wanted Megan Fox to comeback because Peltz is nails on a chalkboard. When she speaks, you want to check for closed captioning. Even Bay-ifying her didn't help. Ditzy and unlikable with blonde hair, make-up done by oil funnel and jean panties. However, Reynor was worse. He was the stereotypical jerk wanting to rebel and take ownership of Cade's daughter. Taking credit and coming off like a coward, his stiff as 2 x 4 delivery and someone should foot the bill to buy him acting lessons. You know you're bad when your supporting cast is out acting you in live-action and as an autobot. Ha-ha.

Peter Cullen always nailing down Optimus Prime for the last 18 years. Lockdown is brought back respectfully voiced by Mark Ryan. Even John Goodman (Damages) and Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai) lend their voices to Hound, a military transformer chomping on a cigar and firing a .50 cal and Drift, a samurai with double-edged swords. No, this isn't racial overtones like Revenge of the Fallen was guilty of. Always a delight is Wahlberg, Tucci, and Grammer. In fact, Grammer looked ready for his character to be offed, so he can grab his paycheck.

Verdict: B

Transformers: Age of Extinction goes two ways whether you're a fan of the franchise then you will forgive this for it's thin storyline, tomato throwing acting and 165 minute running time. If not, you'll dismiss it as one of the worst of the year. I may be a critic, but i'm also a fan.

Director Phil Lord/Chris Miller have already hit box office gold with the intelligent, all ages smash The Lego Movie. Heading back to their satirical roots that made 21 Jump Street and bromances to an action-packed level. 22 Jump Street is the Lethal Weapon 2 of sequels

Jonah Hill/Channing Tatum are back as Jenko and Schmidt. Dominating high school was a breeze until the True Romance homage finale now Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) sends them to...college to go undercover and bring down ANOTHER drug deal. Right off the bat, I could tell this had a better foundation to build upon as they go all in to satirizing sequelitis that has fallen upon today's Hollywood.

Teasing the audience and reminding that it's demographic is in on the joke. Every scene sets up to spoof the action genre and fraternities. One scene defines is a chase scene that on the brisk shooting of a chase, the pricy budget that makes you laugh out loud with the close-ups, aerial and establishing shots.

The cliche story is just there for the cast to have a little fun improvising in each scene. Tatum/Hill have the yin/yang buddy cop formula down to a T. Effortlessly bouncing off ach other through each stagy argument, conversation or action scene. Ice Cube clearly has the comedic chops to pull off their captain that swears, yells at his team even puts it to an extreme breakdown at a hotel buffet.

Lord and Miller continue to twist upon the spoof genre with Michael Bay-inspired action sequences, tongue-in-cheek writing, a cast that delivers on every step and an ending that alone will draw tears to your eyes from all the laughing.

Verdict: A

22 Jump Street rips on unnecessary sequels with ease. Satirizing every minute with inventive action, sidesplitting laughs that make you think maybe the genre is revived. Maybe it's...something cool.